Dumb article. Utah has its hands full in the PAC12 and a loss to BYU would be
catastrophic. BYU has its hands full scheduling and playing a challenging
national schedule, with or without Utah.

Who cares if they ever play
again? Not me. Utah drags down BYU's SOS. Utah needs every win they can get
and the last 4-years notwithstanding, BYU is a big risk. So like Washington and
WSU who bought out the BYU contracts, BYU is too much risk for Utah.

If BYU plays them in a bowl game, that's good enough for me. But I
don't live in Utah, so to me, Utah is just another good average university
that occasionally wins a few football games and used to be good in basketball.

Jealous UAlpine, UT

April 3, 2014 2:13 p.m.

"And good luck on achieving you ultimate Poinsettia Bowl dream."

Playing in the Poinsettia Bowl is certainly alot more exciting than
playing in the couch potato bowl.

Not even close to as impressive, especially when you
consider that USC was a barely .500, unranked team and Pittsburgh finished in a
4-way tie for first in the Big Least.

LonestarRunnerSalt Lake City, UT

April 3, 2014 1:32 p.m.

ekute

BYU's dream is making the playoffs and winning a 2nd
national championship, but short of that, San Diego is a great place to play a
bowl game; it's certainly much more exciting than spending New Year's
Eve in El Paso.

TroyTownAnaheim, CA

April 3, 2014 1:24 p.m.

ekute

"Close losses? So by your reasoning the Utes should of[sic]
been the PAC 12 regular season champions."

Nope, close losses
only prove competitiveness, not superiority.

Utah doesn't play
all over the country against often unfamiliar teams week in and week out.

Try it sometime. It's not nearly as "easy" as you pretend
it to be.

You can't even Washington State in Pullman or Utah
State in Logan.

What makes you think you could beat Houston in
Houston, George Tech in Atlanta, Wisconsin in Camp Randall, or Notre Dame in
South Bend?

ekuteLayton, UT

April 3, 2014 1:13 p.m.

anti BCS'Congrats on hosting Virginia(your biggest game of the year),
Savanna State and Middle Tennessee, not to mention Houston, Nevada and UNLV.

And good luck on achieving you ultimate poinsettia bowl dream.

phantombladeSalt Lake City, Utah

April 3, 2014 1:11 p.m.

Ironically, Utah played the same schedules and never even got a sniff at a
national championship.

Call us the next time Utah finishes in the Top
12 in 5 out of 6 years, with back-to-back Top 7 finishes, and a 24-game winning
streak ending with a national championship.

The Utes have NEVER had
more than two back-to-back AP Top 25 finishes in their entire history.

At their current rate of 5 AP Top finishes in the first 79 years of the AP
poll, it'll take the Utes another 76 years just to match the 17 AP Top 25
finishes BYU already has.

It's doubtful that any of the kids on
the hill will even be around by the time that happens.

ekuteLayton, UT

April 3, 2014 12:57 p.m.

Solomon Levi,bronco's team doesn't play in the PAC 12 week in
and week out.

Close losses? So by your reasoning the Utes should of
been the PAC 12 regular season champions.

phantombladeSalt Lake City, Utah

April 3, 2014 12:57 p.m.

ekute

Get your facts straight.

BYU has played more bowl
games against ranked, Top 25 teams, than Utah has played bowls.

BYU never played in a BCS game, but Utah never won a Consensus National
Championship or Heisman Trophy, the quintessential symbols of excellence in
major college football.

btw, you left out BYU's tie with Top Ten
ranked Iowa, from BYU's bowl record, which is a much greater accomplishment
than beating a mediocre Georgia Tech team in the Sun Bowl.

anti BCSAnaheim, CA

April 3, 2014 12:39 p.m.

ekute

"A lot of incessant chest thumping in happy valley over
getting beat in a lower-tier bowl."

As opposed to the incessant
chest thumping on the hill over spending the last two bowl weeks on the
couch?

During the Independent/PAC era, BYU has won twice as many bowl
games, and played in three times as many bowl games, as Utah.

If it
helps you feel better, congratulations on being a punching bag for the toughest
schedule in Utah history!

ekuteLayton, UT

April 3, 2014 12:34 p.m.

"ironically, the same weak WAC/MWC schedules that Utah was playing during
their paltry two 11+ win seasons."...which byu was a part of.

Ironically, byu played the same schedules and never even got a sniff of the
BCS.

Solomon LeviAlpine, UT

April 3, 2014 12:29 p.m.

ekute

The Utes haven't exactly "dominated" the recent
series either.

14 of the last 17 games have been decided by a
touchdown or less in the closing minutes or in overtime.

Simply
because Utah has won a slight majority (8 of 14) of those close games,
doesn't prove any sort of superiority, especially for an entire season -
overall records, rankings, conference championships, and bowl invitations is a
much better indicator of which team was better.

During the
Bronco/Kyle era

Top 25 FinishesBronco 5Kyle 3

10+ Win SeasonsBronco 5Kyle 3

11+ Win, Top 15
FinishesBronco 3Kyle 1

Conference ChampionshipsBronco 2Kyle 1

BowlsBronco 9Kyle 7

And, since Utah fans prefer the AP poll, to the Coaches poll

AP Top
25 FinishesBronco 4Kyle 2

Kyle basically had one great
season in 2008, and has had very little else, before or after.

A team
that hasn't won a single road game against a conference foe with a winning
record has no business crowing about conference affiliation. You're in the
PAC, but the record speaks for itself about how competitive U are: 4-5, 3-6, 2-7
= 9-18 overall.

Bronco is 9-9 versus PAC 12 teams.

WhatsnuSandy, UT

April 3, 2014 11:57 a.m.

Marked it Down

11+ win seasons are definitely a high standard to
achieve,

but our friends on the hill will try to minimize BYU's
overwhelming superiority in that particular measuring stick by claiming that BYU
only accomplished it because of their weak schedules,

ironically,
the same weak WAC/MWC schedules that Utah was playing during their paltry two
11+ win seasons.

ekuteLayton, UT

April 3, 2014 11:54 a.m.

Snack PAC,The Utes haven't beaten Stanford 4 in a row, 9 of 12.

A lot of incessant chest thumping in happy valley over getting beat in a
lower-tier bowl.

byu is 13-18 in bowl games, most of which were
lower-tier bowls vs average teams. Never was even considered for a BCS bowl.

midpacmajorSalt Lake City, Utah

April 3, 2014 11:36 a.m.

tobe

Did beating BYU last season help U get to a bowl?

Did
losing to Utah prevent BYU from playing in a bowl?

Unlike the kids on
the hill, BYU's entire season doesn't hinge on the outcome of the
BYU-Utah game.

Marked it DownPark City, UT

April 3, 2014 11:28 a.m.

2B

Utah - TWO 11+ win seasons in their entire history, including one
in which they only beat 3 regular season opponents with winning records, none
better than 7-5

If Utah is so superior, why have the Utes only played in one
bowl game since joining the PAC?

Utah played an easier schedule in
2012 than BYU played in 2013, yet U still weren't good enough to qualify
for a bowl invite.

If the Utes are so superior, why does Bronco have
THREE 11+ win, Top 15 finishes, versus only ONE 11+ win, Top 15 finish for
Kyle?

In fact, Bronco has more 11+ win, Top 15 finishes since 2006,
than the Utes have IN THEIR ENTIRE HISTORY!

BYU has played in 9
straight bowl games; Utah hasn't played in a bowl since 2011.

Superiority isn't proven by a single game each season, but by overall
success for the entire season. If that weren't the case, then please
explain why Utah didn't play in the Rose Bowl this past season. Afterall,
according to your head-to-head theory, Utah was "superior" to Stanford.

RockwellBaltimore, MD

April 3, 2014 10:50 a.m.

sportsguy

"Yes, you pumped up your SoS by playing a bunch of
tough teams. The problem is you didn't beat any of them."

btw, most of the teams Utah beat in their bowl
games were just as mediocre as the Utah team that beat them. BYU has played more
ranked teams in bowls than Utah has played bowls.

BYU swept the
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in 2012 and 2013, the same team Utah beat in their
only bowl game since joining the PAC, and one of those BYU games was at Georgia
Tech.

When was the last time Utah won a road game against a PAC team
with a winning record?

Don't answer that, you'll just
embarrass your team.

Common-TatorSaint Paul, MN

April 3, 2014 10:04 a.m.

"After the game, a few BYU fans pelted officials with debris."

I have heard of this from a Utah-fan co-worker as well.

I
STRONGLY encourage EVERY COUGAR FAN, EVERYWHERE, to be absolutely certain we DO
NOT LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. If you see a fellow Cougar fan behaving in a less
than positive manner, call them out on it. Stop them. Set the example.

Growing-up in Minnesota, I had the privilege of attending a few Vikings
games. During one on a frigid, clear, December afternoon, as the Vikes won, an
upper deck fan sprayed the fans below with the remains of his beer cup. I
distinctly remember my Dad hollering at him. "We don't do that
here," were his parting words -- supported by most every fan around us.

BYU fans should be, must be, known everywhere for behaving with class.
If you have a desire for lesser behavior, there are a number of other programs
who would seem to welcome your attitude. Please remember who you are, and let
this NEVER be said of true Cougar fans again.

2BCSWINSWest of I15, UT

April 3, 2014 8:37 a.m.

Wow I always knew cougie "fans" were jealous until reading these
comments however I had no clue how jealous. I've never seen so many fans of
a team grasping at so many straws to prove nothing at all.

Sorry
cougie fans you may kid yourself but nobody else. It's obvious Utah
football is far superior then cougie football.....4 in row, 9 of 12, overall
series domination, 2 undefeated seasons along with 2 BCS bowl titles in the last
decade......Cougie football could only dream of saying that....LOL!

sportyguysandy, UT

April 3, 2014 8:27 a.m.

@Rockwell

The only problem with that statement is that it is just
like the BYU basketball schedule. Yes, you pumped up your SoS by playing a
bunch of tough teams. The problem is you didn't beat any of them.

So congrats you beat a bunch of the cream puffs to become bowl eligible and
then got exposed when you played good teams. Of your #38 SoS the only team you
beat with a better ranking was Texas at #33.

Yes you may have been
bowl eligible by playing a tougher schedule than any previous Utah bowl team.
The biggest difference is that Utah actually won it's bowl games.

phoenixGilbert, AZ

April 2, 2014 3:15 p.m.

Spokane Ute

You're seriously beating your chest about finishing
ONE spot higher in Sagarin, with a worse record and no bowl?

#34
Utah#35 BYU

RockwellBaltimore, MD

April 2, 2014 3:11 p.m.

sportyguy

"why do you use BYU's 2013 SoS in
comparison."

Isn't it obvious from Naval Vets statement?

"The Cougars only went bowling because they played a weak SOS, and
won at least 6 games."

BYU played a TOUGHER schedule in 2013,
than ANY Utah bowl team had ever played.

If the 38th toughest
schedule is considered "weak", according to Naval Vet, what does that
say about the SOS of every one of Utah's bowl teams, because no Utah bowl
team has ever played a schedule tougher than #49?

In fact, no Utah
bowl team THIS CENTURY has played a SOS tougher than #62, which is 24 spots
WEAKER than BYU's 2013 schedule.

sportyguysandy, UT

April 2, 2014 1:43 p.m.

@Just the FAX

LoL why do you use BYU's 2013 SoS in comparison.
If you want to use Utah's SoS for 2013 it was #5. Why did that fact elude
your post? Why did the fact that BYU's 2012, 2011 SoS were worse than the
same years for Utah? And posting all the prior SoS for Utah? Did you forget that
prior to 2011 BYU and Utah were in the same conference and for the most part had
very similar SoS??? If you want to compare 2013 seasons Utah has the best win,
BYU had the worst loss. Outside of Texas and GT every single BYU win came
against a team that was ranked lower than every single team Utah lost to. The
worst team Utah lost to was ranked #40. The best team BYU beat was ranked
#33.

@Whoa NellieIt's going to take a few more recruiting
cycles and some winning records. Utah is starting to have the depth of talent
but they are still young kids. Look at last year and this year and see how many
frosh/soph kids were playing.

Spokane UteSpokane, WA

April 2, 2014 12:16 p.m.

Notice how BYU fans don't bring up this years Sagarin rankings or strength
of schedule. Now that's curious; put par for the course.

Rose Bowl call yet?Salt Lake City, UT

April 2, 2014 5:52 a.m.

patriot

Unfortunately for U, there are no good ole days to remember -
from mediocre to the abyss.

patriotCedar Hills, UT

April 1, 2014 8:41 p.m.

BYU sports on the decline. Remember the good ole days? Starting to forget.

rlsintxPlano, TX

April 1, 2014 2:56 p.m.

It's nice Rock can "chronicle" the BYU - UTAH sagas, since
that's his college newspaper's name. I was at the universe around the
same time. I just hope the U fans are happy with their pac-12 stickers; my
little kids used to love playing with stickers too. But I have to admit, I
don't think it's good for the 3 instate biggies to not be playing each
other every year. I think that's a good thing for the people paying their
bills - the taxpayers in 2 of the 3's case.

Whoa NellieAmerican Fork, UT

April 1, 2014 1:56 p.m.

Would some honest Utah fans reply with what they might view as what it will take
to get Utah football to be consistently competitive in their conference? Is is
recruiting? If so what could improve that? Is it location? Or is it about
coaching? What has to happen to get Utah over the edge and winning consistently
in conference?

Coach BiffLehi, UT

April 1, 2014 1:30 p.m.

Open mouth, insert foot. Seems to be the prevailing instructions for Ute fans
commenting here. Sheesh!

Just the FAXOlympus Cove, Utah

April 1, 2014 1:24 p.m.

deductive reasoning

The Utes didn't go bowling in 2012,

But as a naval vet stated, the only reason the Utes have ever gone
bowling is because they played a weaker schedule than BYU played in 2013 and
finished with at least 6 wins:

BYU played a tougher SOS in 2013, than ANY schedule Utah had ever played prior
to 2013.

deductive reasoningArlington, VA

April 1, 2014 12:36 p.m.

navelvet

"The Cougars only went bowling because they played a
weak SOS, and won at least 6 games."

The exact same thing can be
said of EVERY bowl game Utah has ever played in, including 2004 and 2008,
because BYU played a tougher SOS in 2014, than ANY schedule Utah had ever played
prior to 2013.

BYU's 2013 SOS: #38

Utah's
toughest SOS prior to 2013:

2012 - #412011 - #492010 -
#502008 - #562004 - #67

As the saying goes,

"Those who live in glass houses, shouldn't cast stones."

---------

ekute

Only under the crimson bubble would
finishing with a worse record and lower ranking be considered
"superior".

ekuteLayton, UT

April 1, 2014 10:04 a.m.

Only in happy valley would the "fans" spin superiority out of 7-14, 3-9
and 0-4. lol.

Naval VetPhiladelphia, PA

April 1, 2014 9:02 a.m.

CougarSunDevil:

"I wonder how many people said 'I don't
care' before Rock was able to get someone to comment on it for this
article."

I'd imagine not too many, if any at all.
I'll quote again for you, only this time providing emphasis on key
words:

"It's really sad WE don't have it
anymore...Honestly, that's lot of the motivation WE had, when WE come in
December, and come in the spring, and every day WE remind ourselves, 'Hey,
WE've got to beat Utah.' WE don't have it anymore. WE're
going to miss that." -- Drew Reilly

That's a lot of
"we" in there. And an "every day" no less. That certainly
doesn't sound like a one-off/atypical position to me.

scenic viewBaltimore, MD

April 1, 2014 9:00 a.m.

"that game is YOUR "Super Bowl""

No, it was
KVN's "Super Bowl".

Unlike desperate Utah fans, BYU fans
have never claimed that winning the head-to-head with Utah makes or breaks
BYU's season.

It's a nice little accomplishment for
in-state bragging rights, but, in the overall picture, the Utah game is just one
game in a 12- to 15-game season.

Naval VetPhiladelphia, PA

April 1, 2014 8:55 a.m.

TrueBlue:

The cougars only went bowling because they played a weak
SOS, and won at least 6 games. We don't play similar schedules anymore, so
where you were in December is irrelevant with respect to in-state superiority.
You know full well that our series means more to you than it does to us, and
that it is YOUR "Super Bowl"; not ours.

And it's also
not our "bowl game". If it were, we wouldn't have dropped you for
the next 2 seasons, now would we have? Don't be so frantic and emotional.
Your sour grapes are showing.

UteanymousSalt Lake City, Utah

April 1, 2014 8:39 a.m.

Naval Vet

Please explain how being a punching bag for the big boys of
a big boy conference and spending the holidays at home on the couch makes U
"relevant".

Utah's "priority" of winning the PAC
12 is nothing but a pipe dream.

In order to do that, the Utes are
going to have to win road games against PAC 12 teams with winning records,
something the Utes haven't done in 20 years.

The truth is,
you're all talk when it comes to your "priorities," because the
ONLY priority you've been able to accomplish and the only priority
you've been able to beat your chest about, since joining the PAC, is
beating BYU.

TrueBlueOrem, UT

April 1, 2014 8:27 a.m.

navelvet

BYU fans have spent the last two bowl weeks in San Diego and
San Francisco.

Utah fans have spent the last two bowl weeks on the
couch.

You play your bowl in September.

BYU plays its bowl
in December.

Sorry to burst your crimson bubble, but when it comes to
overall success, U have nothing to crow about.

Naval VetPhiladelphia, PA

March 31, 2014 11:44 p.m.

Chamberlain:

"It's Utah fans beating their chests about
beating a team they pretend not to care about."

That's only
because the Y can't beat their chests about a team they're desperately
trying to claim they don't care about. I guarantee you that Y fans WOULD
beat their chests if they could, but they can't because they were the
losers.

"It's Utah fans who are satisfied with losing, bowl
less seasons, as long as the Utes pull off another upset win versus BYU."

That just something Y fans like to say to make themselves feel relevant.
But the truth is, beating our little brother ranks way down the list on our
priorities. Utah's #1 priority is winning the Pac-12. Beating little
brother does nothing in regards to that goal.

Besides, that game is
YOUR "Super Bowl". Not ours.

Ed GradyIdaho Falls, ID

March 31, 2014 6:15 p.m.

No utah? Don't care.

CougarSunDevilPhoenix, AZ

March 31, 2014 5:38 p.m.

"It was Drew Reilly -- not Trevor Reilly...

"It was Ryker
Mathews -- not Jackson Barton..."

I wonder how many people said
"I don't care" before Rock was able to get someone to comment on it
for this article. Editing is a powerful tool to hide the truth. it wouldn't
have been much of an article if it said "Two out 150 BYU athletes were the
only ones that cared about the rivalry." (Much to my dismay, KVN is not on
the team anymore) Why didn't Taysom Hill make a comment, the leader of the
offence. What about Bronson Kafusi? Don't they care about the rivalry? The
great thing is, we can only know what the reporter reports. If Rock is really a
Utah beat writer, then it would serve him to write an article like this
conveniently without what other (and more notable) people are saying "We
don't play them this year, we don't care."

StrikerOmaha, NE

March 31, 2014 5:22 p.m.

Just like ute fans, the ute media fantasizes about playing BYU all the time.
BYU fans in red clothing is all they are.

ChamberlainSalt Lake City, UT

March 31, 2014 4:47 p.m.

Naval Vet

Spin it however helps you sleep at night, but

It's Utah fans who are still obsessing about a rival they supposedly left
behind in 2010.

It's Utah fans beating their chests about
beating a team they pretend not to care about.

It's Utah fans
who are satisfied with losing, bowl less seasons, as long as the Utes pull off
another upset win versus BYU.

It's Utah fans who are obsessed
with comparing "stars" of every BYU recruit.

It's Utah
fans who go out of their way to try to marginalize every BYU win.

The
point is, if you weren't totally obsessed with BYU, you wouldn't be
spamming the blog of a team you won't even play again until 2016.

CougarSunDevilPhoenix, AZ

March 31, 2014 4:14 p.m.

Hey Phoenix,

He was talking about me. I thought Spokeane Ute would at
least agree with your comment:

"14 of the last 17 BYU-Utah games
being decided by a touchdown or less in the closing minutes or in overtime is
decidedly NOT automatic - in fact it proves that the games have been very
competitive and the Utes have simply been fortunate to come out on top in a
slight majority (8 of 14) of those close games."

This is what I
was referring to when I posted my prior comment. Further, I thought Spokeane Ute
would agree that the contest was a close contest with luck favoring them, but
instead he went with the Utah talking points of 9 out of 12 etc. So with that,
I'm sure he will not object to me remind him that Utah has not beaten ASU
since before 1978. Thus he will unconditionally agree that ASU has dominated
Utah over the last three and half decades so he can stay consistent (since
I'm sure Utah may have been close in one or two of those games but it
doesn't matter).

Hank JrDraper, UT

March 31, 2014 3:25 p.m.

What's been missing for more than a few years now? Try an athletic and
mobile offensive line!

Naval VetPhiladelphia, PA

March 31, 2014 3:24 p.m.

WAC man:

This isn't an article about Utah lamenting the loss of
the former rivalry.

It was Van Noy -- not Paul Gionni -- who called
that game your "Super Bowl".

It was Drew Reilly -- not
Trevor Reilly -- who said, "It's really dad we don't have it
anymore," and "Honestly, that's lot of the motivation we had, when
we come in December, and come in the spring, and every day we remind ourselves,
'Hey, we've got to beat Utah.' We don't have it anymore.
We're going to miss that."

It was Ryker Mathews -- not
Jackson Barton -- who said, "In previous years, I think it's been the
biggest motivation we've had, playing Utah and trying to beat our in-state
rival...I'm just as bugged and weirded out as you are Utah not being on the
schedule."

It most certainly is not "quite the opposite".
It's "quite the truth" as I had presented it.

PAC manAnaheim, CA

March 31, 2014 2:09 p.m.

navelvet

"There sure seems to be an awful lot of sour grapes over
the Utes..."

Nope, quite the opposite.

Most BYU fans
have already moved on and couldn't care less that the Utes chose to run
away from the rivalry because playing BYU and Michigan in the same season was
considered "too difficult" for the Utes (according to their own AD).

BYU fans do find it hilarious that Utah fans are still completely
obsessed with BYU, despite their supposed indifference to playing BYU.

Naval VetPhiladelphia, PA

March 31, 2014 1:57 p.m.

Wow! There sure seems to be an awful lot of sour grapes over the Utes refusing
to play their little brother in Football these upcoming 2 seasons. That whole
"we didn't want to play the Utes anyway" refrain is disingenuous at
best, because we'd already read all the whining from your side of the
former rivalry after we'd demonstrated that it was the Utes -- not the
cougars -- who didn't really care if we played that game in 2014 and 2015.
It isn't Utah who can't get over the cougars. It's the cougars
who can't get over themselves.

worfMcallen, TX

March 31, 2014 1:46 p.m.

Utah without BYU at it's side is sunk.

phoenixGilbert, AZ

March 31, 2014 1:16 p.m.

Spokane Ute

I don't have a clue who "CougSundevil" is,
but here's a clue:

There are literally thousands of BYU fans who
live in the Phoenix metro area.

14 of the last 17 BYU-Utah games
being decided by a touchdown or less in the closing minutes or in overtime is
decidely NOT automatic - in fact it proves that the games have been very
competitive and the Utes have simply been fortunate to come out on top in a
slight majority (8 of 14) of those close games.

If a win is simply a
win, then why are Utah fans still posting 54-10?

btw, it doesn't
compare to 56-6, 27-0, 56-28 back-to-back-to-back.

FACTchequerSalt Lake City, UT

March 31, 2014 1:05 p.m.

Spokane Ute

It's funny how Utah fans refused to give BYU any
credit for losing several close games versus Top 25 teams in 2012, but whined
about Utah not getting credit for losing several close games versus conference
opponents in 2013.

BYU beats Oklahoma in what is essentially a home
game for the Sooners - Utah fans discount the win because Oklahoma's QB was
injured during the game; strange how the injury excuse only applies to other
teams (see Utah and Travis Wilson versus BYU and Riley Nelson).

BYU
STOMPS 15th-ranked Texas, rolling up 550 rushing yards, more rushing yards than
any Texas team had given up in history - Utah fans discount the win because
Texas dropped out of the Top 25 (although just barely).

Yet Utah fans
beat their chests incessantly about beating a weak Pittsburgh team in the Fiesta
Bowl.

You want accolades for winning a couple of BCS games, yet you
belittle an even greater accomplishment - winning a Consensus National
Championship.

Bottom line for Utah fans - it's hard to get
respect, when you're so completely unwilling to give respect.

Spokane UteSpokane, WA

March 31, 2014 12:13 p.m.

@CougSundevil

9 out of 12 is fairly automatic. How about
semi-automatic? In all honesty I will miss the game. Most of the time a great
game to watch. However, the Utah - Michigan game should also be a good watch.

@phoenix

I always thought a win was a win and a loss was
a loss. That's what I always hear when I refernece 6 close losses that Utah
suffered in hoops, during confernece play. I guess it's what ever fits ones
agenda.

I'm wondering if these two gents from Arizona are two
in the same? The timing and content of the responses sure are curios?

WA_Alum&DadMarysville, WA

March 31, 2014 11:16 a.m.

Ute fans storming the field three times in one game after barely beating BYU at
home tells you how much Utah has "moved on."

ekuteLayton, UT

March 31, 2014 11:02 a.m.

Flashback,If the Utes were "chicken". they would of opted to stay
put, and continue their domination of byu and the rest of the MWC.

talkinsportsGilbert, AZ

March 31, 2014 10:50 a.m.

More Mature Y Fan

Bronco has beaten Texas, Oklahoma, Oregon, UCLA,
Arizona, Oregon State, Washington, Boise St, and Georgia Tech, as well as an
18th ranked Utah team, among others; and he played BCS runner-up Notre Dame down
to the wire in South Bend; that's some pretty high level teams.

Three 11-2, Top 15 seasons suggests that Bronco has done far more than run up
an impressive record against mediocre teams.

The biggest difference
between Bronco and Kyle, however, is Bronco seldom loses to teams he's
supposed to beat. That rain soaked/lightning delayed opening game of the season
at Virginia was an aberration. Compare that to Kyle getting shut out by 10-loss
UNLV, a week after stomping UCLA, or Kyle's end of season home loss to a
10-loss Colorado team that hadn't won a road game in four years.

More Mature Y FanSalt Lake City, UT

March 31, 2014 10:18 a.m.

@IdahoCoog

Basically your statement says to me, "So yeah, we lost
twice to Notre Dame but when you played them, you lost worse."

I
hope you find solace in that fact. I certainly don't. The fact that BYU
can't play with the powers of the nation is yet another reason I am
convinced that Bronco Mendenhall is no more than a coach that can run up
impressive records against mediocre teams year in and year out but can't
win against the high level teams of the nation and Utah as well.

The Utes are
all talk, but no walk, when it comes to being competitive in the PAC.

After three full seasons in the PAC, the Utes still haven't won a road
game against a PAC team with a winning record.

In fact, the Utes
haven't won a road game against a PAC team with a winning record in almost
20 years!

As far as Utah's "auto-win" versus BYU goes -
14 of the last 17 have been decided by a TD or less in the closing minutes or in
overtime; hardly proof of any sort of dominance by either team, but instead a
harsh slap in the face of reality to the Utah fantasy that this has become an
auto-win.

Ifel Of'a-sofaAlpine, Utah

March 31, 2014 9:35 a.m.

chris, if it was an automatic win, utah should have kept the game, you need the
wins, they don't come often! The pac11.u is a little bit too tough for the
utes.

LOL

CougarSunDevilPhoenix, AZ

March 31, 2014 9:03 a.m.

Spokane Ute

I guess Utah will have to look else where for an
auto-win. Utah will just have to win "the war" this year, just like last
year. Ref: Sagarin Rankings. Oh, not to mention winning the battle for 4 years
in a row. BYU lost on the court/field and in the Sagarin rankings to Utah this
year. Second fiddle; anyway you cut it.

I'm kind of surprised by
your quote Spokane Ute. You usually are pretty honest with your posts. Auto win
every year huh? Yes Utah pulled out the wins, but it was usually a very close
game (minus Heaps). I don't think barely winning a game becomes an auto
win.

PavalovaSurfers Paradise, AU

March 31, 2014 8:24 a.m.

This actually sets itself up perfectly for BYU and Utah to play in a bowl game
against each other. It could happen. Utah will win 6 games, and BYU will win 8
or 9. I could see a bowl game in December with these two teams. Could be fun.

FlashbackKearns, UT

March 31, 2014 8:17 a.m.

The Utes are just plain chicken. Yep I said it and it needs to be said.

toosmartforyouFarmington, UT

March 31, 2014 8:02 a.m.

@ Crow

To answer your question, BYU has had a better winning
percentage against PAC 12 teams than has Utah.

Now a question for
you: Is this year (4th season in the PAC 10.2) going to be the year Utah
finally gets a total of 10 conference wins? They couldn't do it in three
years. I stated at the very first that it would take them 3 years to accumulate
10 conference wins. But I admit, I was wrong....it will take at least 4 years.
And I didn't predict they would miss a bowl game two years in a row. I
guess I just wasn't thinking about it (Utah's success or lack thereof)
too much, was I?

Spokane UteSpokane, WA

March 31, 2014 7:24 a.m.

I guess Utah will have to look else where for an auto-win. Utah will just have
to win "the war" this year, just like last year. Ref: Sagarin Rankings.
Oh, not to mention winning the battle for 4 years in a row. BYU lost on the
court/field and in the Sagarin rankings to Utah this year. Second fiddle; anyway
you cut it.

Ken LeePasadena, CA

March 31, 2014 6:25 a.m.

Again with the comments about the "power conference" because the Utes
are not even playing .500 ball. "Yeh, but some of the PAC12 teams are
good…look over there…" A 2 for one game in SLC might be
possible if you had a large stadium that could hold all the fans that BYU
routinely brings. Save your annual money from PAC12 beatdowns and try to get
yourself a bigger stadium, a DirecTV channel, and enough fans to care. How
many losing seasons before you get back to 15-20,000 fans in your weekly games?
Oh well, spoiler, get up for Stanford or BYU…occasional UCLA in
basketball…but realize a blowout loss in the NIT to a mediocre WCC team
and no bowl game ever, is your future. Yay, Travis Wilson and Deloid Wright
are a coming back…..USC has that Ute game circled on their calendar,
I'm sure.

eastcoastcougDanbury, CT

March 31, 2014 5:39 a.m.

For all the Ute fans who say they've "moved on"....please MOVE ON.
Why the obsession with all things BYU? I'm the oldest of several brothers
and could frankly care less how we compare on everything. You're acting
more like an obsessed little brother. We're happy for your PAC whatever
membership. Now make us proud and go do something with it these next 2 years.
You guys worried way too much about our game anyway. This will be good for you
to divert your attention to something else. Move along....

Two For FlinchingSalt Lake City, UT

March 31, 2014 12:36 a.m.

"The difference in our schedule with PAC 12 teams and Utah's schedule
is we win most of those games."

Lately, this just hasn't
been true. BYU has struggled against PAC-12 teams the past couple years.

Outside-ViewFederal Way, WA

March 31, 2014 12:07 a.m.

Disappointing for sure but new reporters are the ones who show the most
disappointment. Let BYU move on and Utah as well.

BYU can look
forward to a very competitive game with Utah State as a rival game.

Cant you write an article without getting some BYU player saying they should
win every game this year? People have to be so sick of the hype. GO ahead and
be positive but do it on the field before you talk about it.

FACTchequerSalt Lake City, UT

March 30, 2014 9:59 p.m.

@crow

"After all what was BYU's win percentage against teams
from the PAC 12 in football and basketball"

During the
Bronco/Kyle eraBronco 9-9 (50%)Kyle 13-21 (38%)

During
the Rose/Krystko eraRose 5-3 (62%)Krystko 19-39 (40%)

dahlrobPROVO, UT

March 30, 2014 8:57 p.m.

@crow. Again, if you don't need it, quit reading and commenting on the
articles. You have moved on right?

LonestarRunnerSalt Lake City, UT

March 30, 2014 8:36 p.m.

eating crow

"The BYU players seem to be upset that their season
hinges on beating Utah"

The sad truth for U is just the opposite
is true.

It's clear from the results of the last three seasons
that the ONLY thing Utah fans have had to beat their chests about is beating
BYU.

Clearly losing bowl less seasons are inconsequential as long as
the Utes win the head-to-head with BYU.

WiscougarfanRiver Falls, WI

March 30, 2014 8:34 p.m.

RE: Crow

"The byu players seem to be upset that their season
hinges on beating Utah since they are irrelevant and don't have anything to
play for other than their super bowl and trying to beat Utah."

It
was a BYU player (Van Noy) who said that the Utah game is his
"superbowl" not BYU fans. The fact that you know this indicates you too
must be a BYU fan/close follower.

"I have gone to every Utah
spring practice and not once have I heard byu even being mentioned. Oh how times
have changed."

I haven't gone to any spring practices but
I've also never heard BYU fans talk about Utah in conjunction with the BYU
spring game. It was a pro-Utah beat writer that made that connection here, not
BYU fans. Again, thanks for your support of BYU football, the only team in Utah
worth reading about.

CrowSandy , UT

March 30, 2014 6:51 p.m.

@dahlrob maybe its the byu fans knowing that the article is true. The byu
players seem to be upset that their season hinges on beating Utah since they are
irrelevant and don't have anything to play for other than their super bowl
and trying to beat Utah. I have gone to every Utah spring practice and not once
have I heard byu even being mentioned. Oh how times have changed. @toosmartforyou don't worry about your schedule its the best that byu
will continue to get what benefits does other teams have in playing byu other
then a scheduled win for teams from the Big 5 conferences. After all what was
byus win percentage against teams from the PAC12 in football and basketball

panamadesnewsLindon, UT

March 30, 2014 5:31 p.m.

CROW: Just because Brad Rock is trying to fuel the coals to re-ignite the fire,
doesn't mean BYU fans want this rivalry more than Utah fans. Note the
article above "thebigsamoan" who said it best.

Yankees24SLC, UT

March 30, 2014 4:19 p.m.

Utah fans seriously? Time to stop beating your chest. Yeah you have owned BYU in
football but what do you have to show for it? Your football team will continue
to be the doormat in the Pac. But that doesn't matter right? You're
still in the prestigious Pac 12. Maybe the Utes should schedule Kentucky.
They're both in the same situation.

Jeff lsFarr West, 84404

March 30, 2014 3:45 p.m.

Well, Rock has to stir the pot one more time. I am just fine with this game
being gone. I can think of 40 other teams I would rather see BYU play than Utah.
The difference in our schedule with PAC 12 teams and Utah's schedule is we
win most of those games. Good riddance to this game. I would like to encourage
Utah to join the volleyball league with several of their PAC 12 teams. It is
just another league where they can continue being cannon fodder to the other
teams. I do have respect for the Utah teams and wish them well. Some of their
fans are a totally different subject. Jeff

dahlrobPROVO, UT

March 30, 2014 1:15 p.m.

Utah and their fans don't want or need it, but they still feel compelled to
comment on it. As Shakespeare said " me thinks thou dost protest too
much"

Max-was-rightspringville, UT

March 30, 2014 12:04 p.m.

Well now Utah doesn't have any type of a bowl game to play in. When the
hate game continues in two years, the uties will also have a new coach.

Cletus from CoalvilleCoalville, UT

March 30, 2014 11:47 a.m.

Even though we don’t go to bowl games anymore we are now pretegous so we
don’t have to play byu anymore because we get respect from our PAC
brothers even though we don’t win very much anymore.

Go Utes!

ekuteLayton, UT

March 30, 2014 11:42 a.m.

IdahoCoog,Nothing you said disproves the fact that the only Independent
that can compete with Utes is ND.If Utah and byu were to meet in a bowl,
recent history of byu vs the Utes and the and the rest of the PAC 12 is
overwhelming evidence that the Utes would continue their bowl winning tradition
and byu would add to their bowl losing record.

CrowSandy , UT

March 30, 2014 11:39 a.m.

@ longtime fan its already irrelevant for Utah. This article just proves one
thing this game means more to byu than Utah. After all van noy did call it byus
super bowl before his 4th straight loss to Utah.

ray vaughnOgden, UT

March 30, 2014 11:10 a.m.

It is difficult to feel sympathy for BYU lamenting the suspension of the Utah
football game. For many years BYU played a yearly football game with Utah State
University. BYu had no sense of tradition when they suspended the series with
Utah State University.

toosmartforyouFarmington, UT

March 30, 2014 11:04 a.m.

I attended the spring game and I couldn't possibly guess what was missing
as I looked at the headline, but then I read the article and discovered it was
Utah, of all things, written by a pro-Utah sports homer.

This is what
will happen:

BYU will play their average or maybe better-than-average
season and go to a bowl game in December.

Utah will play their
average season and watch all the bowl games yet again in December from the
comfort of their living room and big screen TV.

Mr. Rock will continue to write sports articles that everything is Utah.

The headline is wrong: There is no surprise.

thebigsamoanRichmond, VA

March 30, 2014 9:21 a.m.

For this Cougar fan, the fun of watching the rivalry has long being destroyed by
a few obnoxious fans who can't seem to curb their hatred of their rival.
As far as some Ute fans are concern as often voiced on these forums, their team
has moved onward and upward what with their membership in the prestigious PAC 12
conference of champions while the Cougars are just another mid major in their
rear view mirror not worthy of an invite except a 2 for 1, take it or leave it.
So I say, more power to them! They're happy where they're heading and
we should be too with where we are! And if we won't ever play another game
in this rivalry, I won't ever loose any sleep over it. I just
couldn't stomach the hate anymore! Two great organizations badly maligned
by a few who thrives only on hating and denigrating their rival! On the other
hand, perhaps the pause would yield some positive results for the better in fans
behavior!

Go Cougars! And good luck to the Utes too!

IdahoCoogMalad City, ID

March 29, 2014 11:16 p.m.

ekute, "The only Independent that can compete with the Utes is ND."

You got to be kidding... don't you remember the blowout beat-down
the Utes took last time they played ND. It was nothing like the two competitive
games the Y has played with the Irish.

IF the U can be bowl eligible,
they might be honored to play BYU in a bowl... if they aren't afraid.

worfMcallen, TX

March 29, 2014 8:25 p.m.

Utah? They jumped out of the frying pan into the fire, and they can't
handle it.

Big brother can't bail them out of this mess.

SoonerUteSalt Lake City, UT

March 29, 2014 7:54 p.m.

Was looking forward to Brad Rock's "Cougar football is one piece away
from NC playoffs" article.

Bama DefenseBentonville, AR

March 29, 2014 7:07 p.m.

Utah needs something. That's for sure.

Chris BSalt Lake City, UT

March 29, 2014 6:52 p.m.

This had just become an automatic win for Utah and an automatic loss or byu

Beating byu didn't look impressive and it's better to play
teams like Michigan and Fresno.

No power conference team is rivals
with non power conference teams other than notre dame.

Byu needs
this game more than Utah, since Utah already plays the big boys most weeks.

Dr hill should offer byu a 2 for 1 with 2 in salt lake.

Take
it or leave it, they need the game more than us.

ekuteLayton, UT

March 29, 2014 6:32 p.m.

The only Independent that can compete with the Utes is ND.

utcyclistDraper, UT

March 29, 2014 6:26 p.m.

It's unfortunate that these players won't get to experience losing yet
again to Utah. Utah has owned BYU for years but they'll just have to wait a
couple of years before extending Utah's win streak. Tragic.

WA_Alum&DadMarysville, WA

March 29, 2014 6:23 p.m.

C'mon, Rock--time to move on. BYU Nation has. Utah is just another
regional school. We don't play Wyoming anymore either.

longtime fanSalt Lake City, UT

March 29, 2014 5:36 p.m.

Good riddance! The rivalry for many people has lost all civility, and is taken
way too seriously. I hope it goes away completely. I don't hate Utah fans
or their teams, but there are things that are said and done by fans on both
sides that are destructive and hateful. The break should be a good thing; Now
that Utah is in a different conference and BYU can play anywhere in the country,
I'd like to see the rivalry become irrelevant.

WiscougarfanRiver Falls, WI

March 29, 2014 5:09 p.m.

Wow. The Deseret News is hitting a new low with this article. What does Utah
have to do with the BYU football spring game? Nothing. I suspect this article
was written for one reason alone--to provide fodder for the trolls.

Also, what is this all about?... "BYU opens the season in the longest road
game imaginable — at Connecticut. It makes you wonder why the Cougars
didn’t just get it over with and schedule Cambridge." I have
absolutely no clue what he's trying to say here.

Regarding the
spring game, here's what I'd really like to know--why no BYUtv stream?
I would have loved to watch the game. Good luck this season Cougars.

CGOrem, UT

March 29, 2014 4:58 p.m.

Utah's loss!

Now the Utes won't even have the possibility
of an upset win over BYU to help them feel better about themselves after another
losing, bowl less season.

ekuteLayton, UT

March 29, 2014 4:34 p.m.

“We grew up watching the rivalry and that’s why a lot of us came to
BYU — to be part of the rivalry. It’s really sad we don’t have
it anymore.”

Well, maybe Drew should of committed to Utah and
played with the Big Boys, with big brother and for Big Brother.